Here is our first question.
Ques 1: Relations between the factory and the dealer are distant and usually strained as the factory tries to force cars on the dealers to smooth out production. Relations between the dealer and the customer are equally strained because dealers continuously adjust prices — make deals — to adjust demand with supply while maximizing profits. This becomes a system marked by a lack of long-term commitment on either side, which maximizes feelings of mistrust. In order to maximize their bargaining positions, everyone holds back information — the dealer about the product and the consumer about his true desires.

(1) As a result, ‘deal making’ becomes rampant, without concern for customer satisfaction.
(2) As a result, inefficiencies creep into the supply chain.
(3) As a result, everyone treats the other as an adversary, rather than as an ally.
(4) As a result, fundamental innovations are becoming scarce in the automobile industry.
(5) As a result, everyone loses in the long run.
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Here is our first question.
Ques 1: Relations between the factory and the dealer are distant and usually strained as the factory tries to force cars on the dealers to smooth out production. Relations between the dealer and the customer are equally strained because dealers continuously adjust prices — make deals — to adjust demand with supply while maximizing profits. This becomes a system marked by a lack of long-term commitment on either side, which maximizes feelings of mistrust. In order to maximize their bargaining positions, everyone holds back information — the dealer about the product and the consumer about his true desires.

(1) As a result, ‘deal making’ becomes rampant, without concern for customer satisfaction.
(2) As a result, inefficiencies creep into the supply chain.
(3) As a result, everyone treats the other as an adversary, rather than as an ally.
(4) As a result, fundamental innovations are becoming scarce in the automobile industry.
(5) As a result, everyone loses in the long run.
​

Well, option3 i.e "As a result, everyone treats the other as an adversary, rather than as an ally." seems appropriate.
Whats the answer??

well aashima, wats the answer? 😁 ... i guess since no one is posting on this thread, either the answer is correct and ppl r waiting for more ... or the question is confusing, and ppl r sitting on the fence ... eitherways, what the answer and whats the reasoning behind it? 😀

Alright, the answer is the option (5). Seems it was bit typical and confusing!
Well here is the explanation:

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The entire paragraph is stressing on how, to fulfill their short-term expectations factories, dealers and consumers are not true to themselves. It is then that both relationships start becoming strained. This strain leads to feelings of mistrust and lack of commitment. So the longer this continues, the more the chances of everyone succumbing to this vicious trap and they would soon realize that they have sacrificed long-term stability and gain for short-term benefits. Hence Option (5). Option (4) is too specific to industry (at the cost of the other players – dealers and customers), option (2) suffers from the same short-comings together with throwing the technical (unexplained) jargon ‘supply chain’ to us. Option (1) takes into account only 2 players and repeats what is stated in the passage about “dealers adjusting prices and making deals” in the term ‘Deal making’; option (3) seems close but can be eliminated as the word ‘adversary’ is too strong. The passage implies that everyone tries to maximize his benefits, not that they ‘oppose’ one another.​

Ques 2: In the evolving world order, the comparative advantage of the United States lies in its military force. Diplomacy and international law have always been regarded as annoying encumbrances, unless they can be used to advantage against an enemy. Every active player in world affairs professes to seek only peace and to prefer negotiation to violence and coercion.

(1) However, diplomacy has often been used as a mask by nations which intended to use force.​

(2) However, when the veil is lifted, we commonly see that diplomacy is understood as a disguise for

the rule of force.​

(3) However, history has shown that many of these nations do not practice what they profess.(4) However, history tells us that peace is professed by those who intend to use violence.(5) However, when unmasked, such nations reveal a penchant for the use of force.

They say English level was tough this time! Lets see how our fellow CEans find it, Good luck! (I got this one right 😀 )​

I think, you should set a certain time period for a question to be answered, and post the answer when the time period z over coz it will take years to solve a single test otherwise...watsay?

Thats a nice idea Neha but I wanted maximum number of CEans to try the questions. Setting a time might not fullfill this. But then thats true it'll take years to solve the entire paper otherwise. I'll be now frequent than before to put up the answers and questions.

Assuming there ain't any more takers on this, I am letting the answer out.

The correct one is option (2).Going with the direction of the passage, the last line is stating ‘now all players “profess” to seek only peace’. Profess means to mask or to pretend. Thus the option choice (2) which talks about the veil being lifted is the most logical completion of the passage. More so this also follows from the source of the text.

Now the third question.Ques: I am sometimes attacked for imposing ‘rules’. Nothing could be further from the truth. I hate rules. All I do is report on how consumers react to different stimuli. I may say to a copywriter, “Research shows that commercials with celebrities are below average in persuading people to buy products. Are you sure you want to use a celebrity?” Call that a rule? Or I may say to an art director, “Research suggests that if you set the copy in black type on a white background, more people will read it than if you set it in white type on a black background.”​

(1) Guidance based on applied research can hardly qualify as ‘rules’.(2) Thus, all my so called ‘rules’ are rooted in applied research.(3) A suggestion perhaps, but scarcely a rule.(4) Such principles are unavoidable if one wants to be systematic about consumer behaviour.(5) Fundamentally it is about consumer behaviour — not about celebrities or type settings.​

And I expect a healthy response this time, Come on CEans. All the best.​